Shoe odor and how to get rid of smelly shoes is arguably one of the most common problems. It is something that almost all men and truthfully most women need to deal with at least once in their lives. It is an unfortunate part of an active lifestyle, as even the smallest bit of sweat can create a pair of smelly shoes. The more active one is the more one sweats, and thus the more likely that the person will need to deal with some form of having stinky shoes. There are a number of ways how to get rid of shoe odor that are easy to take advantage of, all one needs to do is simply decide on a solution that works for that person. You must keep in mind however, that most of these remedies are simply temporary, and in order to cure smelly shoes you must cure your sweaty feet first!

The most obvious solution is to just get another pair of shoes explicitly for physical exercise. Although the secondary pair of kicks can be expensive in their own right, especially for those that demand the best equipment that they can get their hands on, this second pair can be put in somewhere else when not in use such as a locker or outside, that the primary pair cannot be. They can be allowed to smell in ways that the pair worn to the office cannot, limiting the effects of smelly shoes. Most men have at least two pairs of shoes anyway; they were trained in PE class that having two pairs of shoes is the best solution unless you carried around cans of shoe deodorizer.

Not all stinky shoes are limited to the realm of physical exercise, however. Normal day-to-day wear can cause their own odor problems, especially for those that are on their feet most of the day. A pair of thick socks is usually not enough and although they may be more comfortable it usually does not take long for odor to permeate the socks. Also, the issue is not always the foot inside the shoe, but the shoe itself; the humidity and warmth of most shoes is what causes the bacteria that create the odor (called Bromhidrosis). Although cleaning the shoes regularly will kill the bacteria and washing the foot prevents them from growing, the reality is that preventing moisture is the best solution. In that regard, talcum powder is a great solution for how to get rid of shoe odor. It absorbs the ambient moisture preventing bacteria from getting the one thing that they need to grow and become a problem. There are even a number of foot inserts that can help deal with this happen, as well as not giving bacteria a foothold in the first place.

Smelly shoes are not an issue that can be hard to solve. It is just a matter of finding a solution that works for your lifestyle. But once that solution is found it can make your life a lot more simple and you a lot more popular. So, let’s look at some ways how to get rid of shoe odor in a cheap, safe and effective way.

How to Get Rid of Shoe Odor

That annoying smell coming from your sneakers is revolting. Even your pet pooch doesn’t want to get near those things, but they’re not bad enough to throw away. So you need to know how to get rid of shoe odor? Follow these tips and you’ll be good to go.

Tip 1: Use Shoe Deodorizer

Companies like Tineacide, 2Toms and Dr. Scholl’s all sell a foot spray that works as an effective shoe deodorizer. They range in price from $5 to $13 and only require you to spray a couple of times to work in eliminating that terrible shoe odor.

Tip 2: Baking Soda

If you are one of those people who don’t want to spring for shoe deodorizer, that box of baking soda that you have in the refrigerator might do the trick. Just pour it generously into the shoe, tap the shoes a few times so that the baking soda gets all over the inside of the sneakers, and then let it sit for about eight hours. After that, dump the baking soda in the trash. Repeat this process twice a week or as needed.

Tip 3: Vinegar

One way to exterminate the smell of the stinky shoes is to use vinegar to kill the bacteria. Just grab a spray bottle and make a 50/50 mixture of water and vinegar and then spray the inside of the shoes. Vinegar acts as a natural antibacterial and deodorizer and your shoes will smell better in no time!

Tip 4: Washing Machine

Believe it or not but there are many people who don’t know this but you CAN usually put shoes in the washing machine with your ordinary detergent if you want. Always follow the instructions. Usually the shoes will tell you that you have to air dry them so they don’t lose their shape. That is of course silly, as there are products out there that are designed to dry your wet (via washing machine or sweat!) shoes! Go ahead and get a shoe dryer and feel free to drop those stinkers in the laundry.

Tip 5: Dryer Sheets

Do you know how to get rid of shoe odor? Why not try the thing that makes the rest of your clothes smell really good? Grab one dryer sheet for each sneaker, and leave them in the shoe for eight to ten hours. When you’re done, just remove the sheets and your shoes will smell that much better.

Tip 6: Salt

Salt? I know you’re thinking “No, I don’t want to eat the shoes. I want to know how to get rid of shoe odor”. But salt is effective in cancelling out the moisture which causes bacteria which causes the shoes to smell really bad. Just apply a couple of teaspoons into each shoe and the moisture will be absorbed and the shoes will smell better in a matter of hours.

Tip 7: Lavilin

Ok, you got me. Lavilin is not exactly a fix for shoe odor. However since the real source of the problem is foot odor then it only makes sense to control that embarassing problem first. New shoes don’t stink! So why not make sure they stay that way? Lavilin is extremely popular and well known for its foot odor destroying properties. It is an all-natural soap or cream and the ingredients are mostly Zinc oxide, antibacterial herbals, arnica and calendula. This combination has been used for decades to combat foot odor and smelly shoes. Generally, one application lasts for days! Out of all the remedies and suggestions listed on this site, none equals Lavilin Cream for sheer effectiveness. Read the reviews on these products I just linked to and see for yourself.

There are many ways to take care of your shoes if they’re not ready for the trash just yet and in this economy, it’s smart to just make your shoes smell better as opposed to trying to buy new ones. Of course if you knew how to get rid of smelly feet you might not need to fix your smelly shoes, however it is very possible that your feet smell fine when they are not sweaty! In that case knowing how to get rid of smelly shoes is a great solution.